Having a bad day? Here's what you can do to turn it around

While your day may start off badly, whether that means a rough morning meeting, unwelcome news or a stranger being rude, it doesn’t have to stay that way.

You often have the ability to “create a different ending”, said Susan Albers, a clinical psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic. How can you turn a bad day around quickly? I chatted with experts about a few things that can help.

PUT THE INCIDENT INTO CONTEXT

When clients tell Dr Albers they are having a lousy day, she often advises them to “respond, rather than react”, by looking at it from a different perspective. So if you’ve had a salty interaction with someone, reflect on a few key questions, said Michael Lee, a professor of communication and director of the Civility Initiative at the College of Charleston.

Ask yourself: Is this really about me, or is it about them? How much weight do I give to their words? Does this person know my true character? Putting an experience into context and analysing your feelings can dial down stress, Dr Lee explained.

SWITCH THINGS UP

A quick way to rescue your day is to try what Dr Albers called a “sensory change”. Take a hot shower, change your clothes or light a scented candle, she said. Different smells, textures and temperatures can help you reset by diverting your attention. If you’re at work, she added, make a fragrant cup of tea.

GIVE YOURSELF ‘LITTLE REWARDS'

If your day began badly, you might be tempted to white-knuckle it until the evening, when you can collapse on the couch with some ice cream, said Annegret Falkner, an assistant professor of neuroscience at the Princeton Neuroscience Institute. But giving yourself little intermittent rewards during a difficult time can make it less stressful than a large reward afterwards would, she said.

SET UP AN EMOTIONAL FIRST-AID KIT

Think about what soothes you, so that you can be prepared for future bad days, Dr Albers said. A friend of mine told me he made a “serotonin playlist” that he uses to give himself an instant lift. Another friend has begun collecting positive emails and screenshots of texts from friends and family in a folder, which she pulls out when she feels down. I have started to do the same.

By Jancee Dunn © The New York Times Company

The article originally appeared in The New York Times.